Snow, What's Up?

I missed my knitting group Saturday morning but was in town in time for my book club luncheon. I think I'd have done it all, but the weather was still nasty. I really wanted to see Alexia's first ballet recital in the evening and that would have been a pretty long day. She is on the left with the arm action, which probably reflects her mother's belly dance teaching more than her ballet teacher.
She is the tall blonde, third from the right, and you can see that she's very serious about dance. I was worried about driving conditions after dark and freezing and almost came home, but I'm glad I stayed.

I talked to Ian just as the recital had ended. I was standing in the parking lot, in the rain because it's where I could get a signal. He said they were all gathering for Eve's memorial and it was raining miserably. I told him I was upset, my iPod had died that day, granted it's five years old. I need it for music and podcasts when I'm on the road. They keep me awake and alert while I'm driving since radio reception is so poor. I was semi frantic, and he passed the phone around the room so I got advice on what iPod to buy from multiple family members. Even though I was just a couple of miles from the Apple store, which is an hour from my house, the difficulty of driving in drenching rain and my confusion on what to buy, magnified by my hunger - well, I went home, got some food on the way and still haven't decided what to buy. The Touch is tempting but so is a 160 gig iPod. Thoughts???
I took a picture for my weather photo-
journal yesterday. At this point the rain had fallen for over 24 hours and collecting because the yard is saturated. This is the desert and were we not on a mountain, this would be terrible.
My poor plants are literally floating, and it's a sopping mess in the llama shed. Ian put on replacement shingles lost in the last storm or it would be even worse. He set up a berm to keep water from flowing into the shed, but anywhere it's flat, it's wet. Zaria was so happy to see me yesterday, Ms Aloof. She raced up and was eating the hay before I could even get to the feeder. She looks like a very tall drowned rat. It amazes me that underneath next to her skin she is warm and dry. Magnificent odd creatures.

I was knitting on Alexia's jackalope, which requires intense concentration, and when I looked up about 45 minutes later, it was snowing. Thus this photo.
The flakes were huge and poor Eddie, who had needed a potty break, came back in looking like this. I toweled him off but he was one miserable boy. He seemed to feel insulted and humiliated, all at the same time. The black is supposed to be black, not speckled.
So this is how today's photo-
journal picture appears. There was lots of shoveling in my morning and the bird feeders were empty. I hadn't planned to fill them, but the desperate birds were rather pathetic and I felt guity so I filled them back up.
You have to admit that when the storm is over, it's awfully pretty. Maybe my opinion is skewed since I haven't seen this view stormless in a week or two. It's a cloudless night, which is gorgeous in the full moon, also frigid. I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse.

This is the jackalope, to date. There are an insane number of hours invested in this silly project, and as difficult as it is, it's also oddly satisfying. The instructions are spot on so I just keep knitting and things shape up. It's like knitting a puzzle. I missed something though and got the foot on upside down. I only need to rip back to the ankle and I know what to do to get it done right.

Snow shoveling has taken a chunk of my knitting time, but Ian got in tonight after 6:00 so all chores revert to him. He left SIL Rochelle's in Redlands (SoCal) at 9:00 this morning, and called me from the Ontario airport to say he and cousin Greg had the same flight to Las Vegas. He said he'd call again when he got to Las Vegas. The next time he called it was from Ontario to say that the plane had been returned to the terminal because the Las Vegas airport was closed, due to flooding.That was a long day for him. Rochelle called after he was asleep to be sure he had gotten in okay. She said it has rained so much in SoCal that her pool is flooded. I believe in global warming and climate change. Where is this headed??!!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

It started snowing this morning and never stopped. Tonight was the annual Christmas party hosted by Red Rock Hounds at their club house. They do it up right with decorations, lights and tons of food and beverages. We are starved for opportunities to see each other out here and I look forward to this party all year. It's wonderful to drive in and see the festivity. I feel like I'm walking into a Christmas card - everone is happy and laughing. We really do clean up good.
In the club house, Ian (in the Stuart plaid shirt - traitor!) is visiting with Carol (from Christmas hunting - first tree). They used to commute to work together and visit two hours every day - doing a little catch up here.
I got so warm inside that I put on my coat and visited with the smokers on the porch. Tamra and Allie are carrying on without me while I catch this shot. Allie went with us tree hunting, and while Tamra was on a hunt that day, Carol drove her truck and cut a tree for her.
Allie's husband (I showed him tree hunting with son Ryan) is on the left and Gayle is on the right. This is her ranch and remarkably, she is 80 years old. I know I keep saying it, but I really do love this valley and community.
These are our newest neighbors, Ken and Lynn from Akron, Ohio. They found the house online and moved in on Labor Day. We've had atypical weather since they came. I accused them of bringing it from Ohio.

I took this shot about 3:00. Ian has to catch a flight in the morning and he's also worried about me in this weather. That's Zephie and she's not worried at all - loves it. Earlier I had thought about catching a picture of her kushed in the snow - but that would have awakened the dogs who would have wanted to play in the snow who would then have to be toweled off. So, no.
On top of the anxiety for weather conditions Ian has the anxiety of the reason for his flight. His brother's mother-in-law whom Ian met when he was 14, and who has now been in his life longer than his own mother, passed away this week. I could write an entire blog just on this wonderful, selfless, funny and delightful woman. She lived a vigorous life until this sudden illness. She was always more interested in others than herself and our lives are richer for her passing through them.
Ian is concerned about me being alone in this snow, so has spent the day trying to clear out a path for me to feed the animals, lots of firewood and feeding instructions and about an hour lesson on how to use the generator and the transfer case. I tossed off a Facebook post this afternoon that we had 5" of snow and that I had just had a generator lesson. Tonight when we got home from the party, one of our neighbors, who is also on FB, said that if the power went out and I needed help, to call him. That's what I mean. I never had a neighbor in town lift a finger to help me. I had to move to East Timbuktu to find genuine neighbors. It was a hard day for Ian, hard labor with a heavy heart.
We're at close to a foot of snow tonight. It's really beautiful if you don't have to travel, however two flights were canceled today. The memorial service is Sunday. We'll see what tomorrow brings. The forecast seems to change hourly, on the hour. Yesterday the forecast said we were supposed to have no appreciable snow accumulation. Earlier today the forecast was for warming tomorrow with a prediction of rain. Wouldn't that be interesting? Who knows - obviously not those who make the forecasts. My plan is to attend Alexia's ballet recital tomorrow evening. I came home with a dinner invite in the event I can't go. See what I mean?
Meanwhile, I've finished one Christmas present - the knitted fruit. All it needed was an orange, and the scary thing is that I dreamed I knitted an orange, then really did knit one the next day. I'm currently knitting a pink rabbit.

Ho, Ho, Ho

This is week eight of my weather photo journal. It rained all afternoon yesterday, turning to snow after dinner. That's a "wecipe" as Alexia calls is - a wecipe for disastew. Had I still been working, I would have gotten off at 8:15 and then driven home on the snow over ice. Retirement came so suddenly that I am still relishing that reality. It's like getting a present - again, or something - can't quite explain it.
The snow on ice made our plants look like flocked Christmas trees. It was 22 when I took these pictures but I just couldn't resist, though I really should have put on a jacket. I just get excited, grab my camera and race outdoors.
Actually, I don't race since I'm more worried about falling on the ice than getting cold. I pretty much tip-toe, kinda like Elmer Fudd -waskely wabbits. After all, I can warm up by the woodstove. I grew up in San Diego where it's never winter and I've never gotten over the awe of four seasons and snow. I still love it!
I had a date in town and I love my Subaru, Eleanor. She is the best snow car anyone could ask for. I padded my travel time, drove the 20 miles at 40 mph on a complete sheet of ice - don't touch the brakes! I don't know what happened. It's a school day but the road wasn't groomed. I keep thinking I should take Eleanor to the carwash for a bath, and then it snows and she's a complete mess again.

My date was with Lauren, a high school art teacher, who wants to teach her students how to take fleece and turn it into yarn. She has a lot of Merino that another teacher gave her from his sheep. I'm unclear on why he has sheep or any of that part of the story. She didn't even know what breed it is, but it is gorgeous unwashed Merino. (I was slightly jealous.) She wanted to buy drop spindles for her 36 students but had read about CD drop spindles online. Someone I know has done this. Amy?? I explained that she needs a dowel, two washers and a cup hook. This is the spindle she came up with and I just had to share it. She is so earnest, duct tape, #2 pencil and all. She struggled to spin on it in anticipation of our date today. This is her first spinning experience. Her students totally love her, and however this turned out, it's going to be great.

We worked with a Schacht spindle she bought online, with a nice weight and balance. She wanted to know if her students could use the one she made. No. We have a date to meet up again in January - after she's had a chance to practice.
This is Mitch, a ho-ho-ho kinda guy. We knitted at Allison's today. Melissa asked me to show her how to drop spindle so I brought my Greensleeves Fox spindle for her which fits into a Pringle can, and she had some fiber. She completely took to it - sorry. I forgot to pull out my camera. What a day - infecting two people with drop spindling. I love it and was so excited that I got to share. My love of spindling is a birthday gift from Amy that apparently keeps on giving. One of the wonderful ladies bought a skein on my handspun - talk about a confidence builder! And then tonight as I pulled out of the canyon into our valley, I saw a shooting star. I'll take it.

The Frost is on the Llama

It was 28 degrees this morning when I poured my first cup of coffee - much too cold to walk dogs but not too cold for Zaria. She loves this weather, and I love my Wii Fit, but I love the Wii tennis most of all. I hurt all over and can't stop playing. I love that I can exercise without freezing my lungs.

We get a crazy weather thing on cold mornings like this in the low end of the valley. The "warm" air traps the cold and they get an even colder morning - I can see the houses down there still have lights on. It's much prettier from here than from there.
Yesterday we set up for the craft fair early, since opening time was 9:00. This was a spontaneous plan so there was only three weeks to advertise. The craft fair Sandy and I participated in last month was also a first - our valley decided we could do it too. With more planning and notification, it can only get better. This was in the "ranch house" and here was only room for 12 of us.
We were each allotted space for an 8' table but I chose a card table to give me room for my wheel. Our customers were our neighbors and even if I hadn't sold a thing, I loved meeting neighbors and I know I made some new friends. I did well enough that I can buy a Kindle, if I decide I want one.
The fiber I dyed did dry in time, and I was so pleased with it, I chose to take it after all. Since I wanted it to be lace-weight, I was a little concerned that wouldn't be able to keep an even draft.
I managed to both enjoy my spinning, maintain my gauge, share my love, and talk a lot (I talk a lot) - with men who were interested in how it works and with women who want to spin too. I came home exhilarated and exhausted - went to read in bed at 8:00. Asleep by 8:30.

I've been working this evening to finish a Christmas present for our grand-niece. I'd made vegetables for her birthday last summer and wanted to add some fruit, but I see that it's looking a little one tone. The pears are kinda brown. I think I'll make a pumpkin and then call it good.
He-who-shall-not-be-named wanted to sit on my lap, but I was knitting and he was just a little put out.

Silent Monks Singing the Hallelujah Chorus

Craft Fair Eve

I still don't have this craft fair thing down - I mean, the getting ready part. I woke up about 3:00 this morning and realized that I have nothing to spin on my wheel, that is, nothing of color. I laid in bed and calculated my morning, how I could dye wool and make two batches of cookies before lunch. I remembered that I had this 4 ounce bump of merino, bamboo, silk that I bought from Mim last spring.
I have been spinning the undyed roving on my drop spindle, planning to dye the finished yarn. I know I bought it last spring because I took it to Spindle Camp in May for my first major drop spindle project and boy, was it challenging. Anyway, I still don't have dye liquors so keep limping by with my Gaywool dyes.
I poured the three dyes in stripes, then covered with water and baked at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I lost track as by then I'd started on the cookies. I'd already started the day with my coffee at the spinning wheel so was in a pretty good state of mind.
My current spinning is Alpaca/
Rambou-
illet roving for my squishy cable cardigan and I am on the last bump, last bobbin. I'm eager to get it done so I can start the sweater, but will it be nice to spin some color for a change. The dye took up nicely but I really do need to break out of my purple rut.
I went over to Mim's after lunch for some girl time in her womb room. I wish I had the presence of mind to take a photo of the gorgeous rovings she has for sale. I selected these two blue-faced Leicester bumps and plan to spin them lace weight (not together). I realized there's no way mine will be dry and ready to spin by the time I leave for the fair in the morning.
Most of her flock were on the north side of the house and we had watched them from the window. I love Shetland sheep. They are like a cross between meat sheep and goats, very personable and entertaining. I didn't realize any of her sheep were by the barn until they started yelling at me. Yes. They were yelling.
The dining room is my staging area. I have almost everything here, except my wheel, spinning chair and roving. All this for a five-hour gig. Sandy is driving so I want to be ready when she gets here at 8:15. Oh yeah. I need a sandwich.

And of course, everything is subject to approval by the snooper-
visor. That's a pretty exciting box he's checking out since it comes from our potter neighbor who is sitting his open studio this weekend so can't participate in the fair. I'm taking a sample of his wares and cards - a pottery babysitter?
I made some origami boxes from an old historic Nevada calendar before I went over to Mim's - 12 months, 6 boxes. If I can't sell them, I'll use them as gift boxes for soap. Sandy, Mim, Jeanette (whose alpaca is in my hats) and I will share a booth space. If nothing else, we will have fun.
I didn't even burn the cookies. I promised Ian half the chocolate chips cookies - his favorite. The crafter price of admission is a platter of cookies, which will be available, along with coffee, to the shoppers. I did it! I got everything done and I even cooked a delicious dinner from my new Cooking Light cookbook I bought at Costco. It's my new most favorite cookbook ever.

And here is some merriment of the most merry sort, Silent Monks singing the Hallelujah Chorus. It's a lovely way to end a week. Skip my whole post and just watch this~

It was a wet and stormy night

Our weather is nothing, if not perplex-
ing. This is week seven that I've shot this same location. It rained all night and the snow is gone. Three dogs times four legs makes for lotsa mud in a house.

The temps have warmed into the 40s and the grass has started to green. What the heck in the world, as a young friend used to ask. We are so totally not supposed to have rain in December and it's forecasted for the entire week. At least we don't have to worry about mowing the grass. After dark the rabbits move in and mow it for us.
I finished the last hat tonight and it's blocking. I always say I've knitted the last one but boy oh boy, are they seductive. They just look so good when they're finished. This one looks like mocha and whipped cream. However I am beside myself to get back to some fun knitting for me me me.
So these are the hats that I've punished myself to finish for the craft fair this weekend. I'm crossing my fingers that someone out here will realize how much they need an alpaca hat to protect their frosty head and support our purchase of a Wii. Yes "we" did :) We have had it since yesterday and fell in love with it, so when we went into town today for our annual lab work (annual physicals) we bought the Wii Fit Plus package and extra charger. I haven't been able to slog through the mud to walk and don't want to drive to town to the gym. I hope this slightly blind purchase will be the exercise solution I've wanted. Merry Christmas to me~ Please someone, buy my hats and make me merry-er.
Meanwhile, I've found time to get back into my studio. I find it hard to weave on gray days since the light is so terrible, but now that we're back to Indian summer of sorts, I cannot wait to get up there. Wait - is Indian summer wet?
I am thrilled with the colors of the baby blanket. I'm so excited to finally get some weaving done on it. Of course, we were in town today and I'm in town all day tomorrow, have an Association meeting on Thursday, baking cookies on Friday, craft fair on Saturday, please God, drag me outta bed for church on Sunday. When did I ever find time to fit a job into my life?!!

Best Laid Plans

I met Melissa at her coffee shop before our Wednes-
day knit group. The plan was to drop my car there, go for Pho (Vietnamese food) and then on to meet with the group. She wanted me to see what she had on her loom so we went by her place, and, well, you know how conversations with fiber folk meander, she showed me her lease sticks-ish things. These are they, and since she had a spare pair, she gave them to me.
Oh, and as we left her place we realized that neither of us had copied down the driving directions to Malinda's house so back we went to the coffee house to print them out, which is where we ended up eating lunch. Anyway, this is how these little gems work. They're for warping front to back.
I cannot wait to test drive them. The cross goes in the middle but is elevated so the threads aren't compressed against the front beam, something I struggled with on this warp. My warp is now tied on, with threading and sleying errors fixed. Ironically, my weaving guild Christmas party is tomorrow so I won't get to start weaving for a day or two (frowny face emoticon).
I finished another yet hat for the craft fair next weekend. I'm guessing of course, but I think the best chance of alpaca hat sales are out here where people are outside in the miserable cold. If I'm wrong, I'll have a lot of hats. I tried a topper with four i-cords. I hated knitting it and don't think it's worth the extra work and won't do it again.
Charlie loves the Christmas tree. We ship all our presents anymore, so there are no packages beneath the tree. I've put a beat-up nativity set at the base in front and left the rest to him. I almost feel bad that he only gets this for one month a year. He's knocked over several of the pieces and broken them, yet again. I made it in ceramics when I was a military wife with a one-year-old daughter. Does that tell you anything about me?? Mary's hands are glued on and baby Jesus has none. I don't think any of the animals have ears. After 40 years, I really do need to shop for a new set.

$$$$$

I went to Jimmy Beans today to get the yarns for Alexia's requested Christmas present, the jackalope from the Amigurumi Knits book. Alexia is insistent that this is what she wants for Christmas and she dictated the colors. I wrote them down.

I spotted my friend Allison working in back so went to say hi. She was very excited about the new Tosh yarn they've just started carrying, in about 100 colors ways in lace, sport and worsted weights. I caught the excitement. The three lace weight skeins on the left will all be scarfs and they will be mine. I give them away as fast as I make them, and today I went to town wearing a purchased rayon scarf. I need to warm my own neck!
This is Alexia's Christmas jackalope. She marked about six things in the book and then asked me how many she could have. I reminded her that I only had time to knit one before Christmas and this ugly dude was her final choice. She wants a pink body, blue ears (substitute green), yellow horns and orange feet.
I also suc-
cumbed to a new knitting book, based on this hat pattern. I'm planning to knit a hat with the leftover yarn from the baby blanket. I've got my fingers crossed that I can use this pattern, minus the monkey tail topper. Also - I purchased yet another skein of Noro sock yarn. Because JBW bought all there is in the known supply world, they dropped the price from $13 to $11 and well, I just - well, I have no excuse other than I love the colors.
Perhaps it's the natural colored wools that I've been knitting to get ready for the craft fair that drove me to the colored yarns. Anyway, I've finished another hat. I love them all and will make as many as I can before next weekend.

I meet with a group of ladies that I met through Allison to knit on Wednesday afternoons. Many are beginning knitters so I took my hats and my book of 1,000 patterns to show them how a hat is really just a big sock toe. One of the ladies bought a hat! That wasn't a turn I expected from my "demonstration" but very cool. We only meet for two hours and the time flies.

I cannot begin to tell you much I enjoy these women. All the years I worked, I didn't have time to develop friendships, and suddenly friendships have landed in my lap. We're all a little long in the tooth so we enjoyed talking about Nora Ephron's new book. We spontaneously decided to do a gift swap next week. These are things that I've read about other people doing. From nowhere, out of the blue, I've received this gift of wise, warm and well-read women. Retirement? I recommend it.